Foundations VS Formulas

Art of Painting Blog
Musings and More from Don Sahli…

Painting what you see gives you subtle autumn shadows or brilliant autumn colors.
Autumn Winds 40 x 30, Autumn Atmosphere - Foggy Morning 48 x 36

Today, I have several questions and points of philosophy, about painting and the art there of, for consideration. And so that we are all on the same page, consider these definitions.

Formula n. 1.a prescription or recipe. 2. a prescribed or set form; a fixed or conventional method.

Rule n. 1, a prescribed guide for conduct, action, usage, etc; a regulation; precept.

Foundation n. 1. that upon which anything is founded; base. 2. a body, stock, or ground material upon which anything is built up.

Found v. 1.to set or place on something solid, for support, to ground; establish. 2. to take the first steps in erecting or building up to furnish the material for beginning; originate.

In July, I talked about the three rules associated with Art of Painting – the only three rules I know. Many look for more rules or precise formulas to associate with successful paintings. Maybe they see this as an unproblematic, uncomplicated approach to painting. But I ask: what will be the outcome of this approach? If every painting is “built” the same way, using the same technique over and over, there will be “sameness” to the work.

And can I say, painting is not unproblematic nor is it uncomplicated….When painting, there is the need to be continually seeking to solve problems: what color is sky in relationship to the lake, where is the light source, is it warm or cool; what is the placement of that bowl….


Many people come to me asking for my formulas! Formulas for mixing color, formulas for constructing a painting, formulas for perspective….I say toss these rules and formulas, I promise they can all be disproved and therefore invalid. I say learn to paint what you “see”, not by formula.

Why create a painting from rules that anyone following the rules would lead to a similar, predictable outcome. Shouldn’t a painting be based on a solid foundation? Painting what you “see” – because there is a foundation, an understanding of painting that is based on the solid effort and support of originality.

And for me, the means to having the instinct and knowledge of painting lies in doing the work – painting continually, not for profit; but for the understanding of Art of Painting. I have shared this philosophy with the over 500 students who have studied at Sahli School of Art. I produced DVDs detailing this philosophy. Bring them to your studio; begin the journey, study these simple and honest concepts, learn to paint what you “see” – whatever and wherever it may be.

DS

The Process Is Sometimes Bigger than the Painting!

Art of Painting Blog
Musings and More from Don Sahli…

Midnight Roses 24 x 30

It is hard to believe that more than a month has gone by since the last blog. I hope all have seized an opportunity to paint. I know I have and I also taught a couple of workshops. Much was learned and many paintings painted.

My friend, Tricia Bass (you may remember her from the August newsletter) sent me a wonderful note about a painting “experience” she had while painting in the Second Annual Wyoming Plein Air 2009 event… It is an excellent commentary on the joy and challenge of plein air painting. I asked and she gave me permission to share here!

Crazy Moon 9 x 12

"…I took a 3rd Place at the Wyoming Plein Air…sometimes God sends you affirmations just when you need them the most! It was a painting called “Crazy Moon” and in this case the process was way, way bigger than the painting. I was doing a night painting, catching the rising, full moon, being dive bombed by mosquitoes; 2 Bull Moose came out the wood and were grazing on the water’s edge. It was so quiet that you could hear slurp, slurp, slurp of their feet as they walked in the mud. It was just magical, I couldn’t see s…, but maybe being in the dark can help you see a better painting. Wish you could have been there, Don! Oh, and I didn’t overwork the painting because one big guy started snorting at us! Time to go. Nature Rocks!” TB

As I read Tricia’s note, it just made me want to go paint. So I did; but in my studio…roses in the window against the black of night – capturing the night sky through the window. No moose or mosquitoes; but night noises from the neighborhood. Like Tricia, I found that magical moment in painting when you loose yourself in the process. And like the title says – the process – bigger than the painting – elevates you and the painting being created. So as the journey continues, seek to loose yourself in the process and find out what happens!

DS

PAINT LIKE A RICH MAN

Art of Painting Blog
Musings and More from Don Sahli…

Let’s look at one of those things that students always ask me in class: “How did you mix that color?” Usually I answer, “I don’t know.” Obviously this isn’t the answer they are expecting but it’s the truth. There are many, many ways to mix a color, especially if you work with a broad range of colors on your palette. Rather than having a preconceived idea about how to mix a color, I mix color based on what I see, and comparisions to the other colors and the relationships present.

I have worked with my palette of 17 colors for over 25 years. The paint colors are always placed in the same spot on the palette; letting me instinctively reach for the colors my brain says might work. After 10,000+ hours of painting (if you don’t know the importance of this number; read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell), I trust my experience (I have been painting for 30 years) and go for it.

Many have asked why I use so many colors. Having more notes of color, lets you create a melody that harmonizes into a symphony. If you are playing the piano (a piano has 88 keys –everytime you play it); what happens if you use only five or six keys – probably not a symphony but maybe a beautiful minuet. (Now there is a reason to work with a limited palette, and I’ll save that for another post.)


So - “Paint like a rich man!” What do I mean by that? Squeeze out lots of paint. So often I hear students say, “I can not afford to have so much paint on my palette.” They are careful and precise in the amount they squeeze out. They are stingy or unsure of what they are doing and don’t want to be wasteful. How can one paint with so little paint available! Do not limit yourself.




I say, “Sell the Lexus… Skip the Starbucks… get some paint on that palette – paint like a rich man!” In other words, do what ever you must to allow yourself the freedom to use your paint to its fullest. You need paint…to paint! Don’t let not having enough paint on your palette keep you from completing a successful painting. This is one of the easiest problems to solve. And one of the biggest problems people create for themselves.


Along the same line, students will say, “well, I have heard that you can only mix 2-3 colors together at a time – with 4-5, you will get ‘mud’.” The first thing that comes to my mind is: who has time to calculate this? Secondly, this is one of those silly “rules” or “guidelines” that can be tested and discarded. It is not the number of colors used that creates the ‘mud’, the ‘mud’ is created by the over mixing of the colors. And ‘mud’ can be created by over mixing any number of colors. (Click on palette image to print)

There you have it. The secret to mixing color is that there is no secret. The goal is learn to “see” the colors and their relationships. That’s just the beginning! As my teacher, Sergei Bongart would say, “Put the right color in the right spot.” Because in reality, it’s not about the color – color cannot be copied; it is about the color relationships. And for the understanding of that, my friends, there is no shortcut. It’s all about miles traveled and hours worked. It is the journey; according to Malcolm Gladwell, about a 10,000 hour journey. So let’s get back to painting.

DS

Not the usual suspects...

Art of Painting Blog

Musings and More from Don Sahli…

During this time as the economy moves on or drags on, we need to remember that art is important, important on many levels –touching your soul, giving you peace, bringing joy to your life…and it says something about society…it is real..it will not evaporate…with that in mind…I wrote that for the March e-mail newsletter. That is true for the creating and the collecting of art.

In the May issue of Art & Antiques magazine, I read about a couple, Herb and Dorothy Vogel, who choose to make collecting art an important focus of their life. James Stourton, chairman of Sotheby’s U.K. included them in The Great Collectors of Our Time, a survey of postwar collecting. And why am I telling you about them, well – Dorothy was a librarian and Herb was a postal worker. Not the usual suspects when you think of major art collectors.

They started collecting Minimalist and Conceptional art in the 1960s. Even though many of the artists in their collection became famous, they never sold any of their pieces. In fact in 1992, the Vogels donated their 2000+ paintings and sculptures to the National Gallery. They choose the National Gallery because it is free to the public and never sells its holdings.

Arthouse Films has produced a movie about the Vogels: Herb and Dorothy. So far it is only being released in New York and LA; but it would be an interesting story to see. As Sheri Linden wrote in Art & Antiques, May 2009, “Herb and Dorothy…poses timeless questions about the nature of art.”

Just food for thought as we journey onward.

DS

Art of Painting Blog

Art of Painting Blog
Musings and More from Don Sahli…

Something new and challenging… a BLOG! Stepping out of my comfort zone… sharing the knowledge, thoughts and experiences of my journey as a painter.

It seems appropraite to start out with telling you just a little about myself… (for some this will be redundant but for the sake of being the initial entry), here I go. I made the decision to become a professional artist at a very early age. By age 15, I was selling my work and by 18, I was exhibiting side by side with seasoned artists as an established painter.

In 1982, my faithful friendship with Russian master painter - Sergei Bongart began. During this period with my mentor, I was taught in the “old academic way” not how to paint by formula, but how to “see” the relationship of color, form and design in nature. When Sergei died, I moved to New Mexico to begin a new era. What could I do?... it was hard. I stopped painting as a student and began my journey as a painter, with my own voice. I found discovering my own way to be exhilirating!

When I look at a painting, I want it to bring me back to when I was on the scene. I want it to convey the drama and emotion that first captured my attention, the atmosphere, and the soul of the place. This is the goal of my work – to go past just the image to touch the viewer in a way so emotion is felt.

My teacher taught, his teacher taught, for me, it is a matter of keeping a tradition alive and of giving something back, but it’s also a critical aspect of the artistic process... it helps one articulate what one is thinking and doing. In 1995, carrying on the legacy of my teacher, I opened Sahli School of Art in Evergreen Colorado, to give the “hungry” student a safe place to learn and work. Then in 2008, with the help of Mediabound Productions, an Interactive Art Instruction DVD Collection was produced. You can “bring” me to your studio for your own lesson.

There’s more to tell; but that’s for another day. I’ll be musing as things come to mind!

That wasn’t so bad… Like Art of Painting, I think blogging will take much hard work, discipline; it will be a long journey full of many questions to ponder; ideas to consider; an opportunity to support and encourage. So here is to the journey!

April 22, 2009